New Delhi, February 22 – Following the opening match of the 2026 ICC Men's T20 World Cup Super Eight, between Pakistan and New Zealand, which was called off due to persistent rain in Colombo, Pakistan became the team with the most abandoned matches in the shortest format of the game.
Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha had won the toss and opted to bat first, but as soon as the decision was made, a light drizzle began. The covers were quickly brought out, and puddles formed on the pitch, making the conditions unplayable. The match officials waited through the evening, but with the rain showing no signs of letting up, the inevitable decision to abandon the match was made.
Overall, Pakistan leads the list of teams with the most abandoned T20 International matches (seven), followed closely by Ireland and New Zealand with 6 each. India and the Netherlands have each had 4 matches abandoned due to weather or other interruptions.
The washout leaves both teams with one point each in Group 2, a scenario that could complicate their path to the semi-finals. With England and Sri Lanka also in the group, shared points may prove costly in what is expected to be a closely contested race to reach the semi-finals.
Notably, Saturday's washout was Pakistan's first-ever abandoned match in T20 World Cup history. During the 2024 T20 World Cup, the India vs Canada fixture was also called off without a ball being bowled, adding to the rain-affected drama of the tournament.
Teams with the most abandoned T20Is:
Pakistan: 7
Ireland: 6
New Zealand: 6
India: 4
Netherlands: 4
